1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clip used to fix a component, such as an automotive interior component, to a mounting hole of a vehicle body panel or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a clip of this type has been used which has a head portion to be fixed to a component and a locking leg extending from the head portion, with the locking leg being inserted into a mounting hole of a vehicle body panel or the like for fixation.
For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-105615 discloses a clip which is equipped with a head portion and a leg portion. The leg portion is to be inserted into a hole of a panel of a vehicle body or the like to be thereby locked thereto, and includes four legs which independently extend from the head portion. Each leg is integrally molded so as to have an intermediate portion expanding radially outwards and to form a tapered leg portion at its end. Further, the legs are of the same sectional configuration around the intermediate portions thereof and are symmetrically arranged at equal intervals with respect to the central axis of the leg portion.
JP 3560061 B discloses a synthetic resin fastener which has a head portion and a locking leg extending from the lower surface of the head portion and which is to be immovably mounted to a panel by forcing the locking leg into a through-hole of the panel. The locking leg includes a shaft core portion and a plurality of elastic locking members. The shaft core portion extends straight from the lower surface of the head portion and has three or four protrusions protruding outwardly from the center thereof, the protrusions being arranged at requisite intervals. An imaginary shaft diameter as defined by the outermost peripheral portions of the protrusions does not exceed the diameter of the through-hole of the panel. The plurality of elastic locking members are arranged between the protrusions of the shaft core portion and maintain requisite intervals between themselves and the protrusions. The elastic locking members have upper end portions which are bonded to a base portion of the shaft core portion or the lower surface of the head portion, lower end portions which are bonded to the leg end of the shaft core portion, and intermediate portions which are separated from the shaft core portion to provide gaps and have on the outer side thereof swelling portions of a size exceeding the diameter of the through-hole of the panel. When locking the fastener to the through-hole of the panel, the elastic locking members are reduced in diameter as the shaft core portion is forced into the through-hole to thereby hook the swelling portions onto the edge of the through-hole of the panel.
Further, JP 2005-315369 A discloses a resin clip which has a head portion to be held in contact with the peripheral edge of a mounting hole of a mounting panel and a leg portion extending from the head portion to be inserted into the mounting hole and adapted to be engaged with the peripheral edge on the back side of the mounting hole. The leg portion has a shaft portion vertically extending from the center of the lower surface of the head portion, at least three protrusions which extend radially from the shaft portion and whose upper ends are connected to the lower surface of the head portion, and engagement members which extend circumferentially from the protrusions to be arranged between the protrusions. The engagement members have upper ends which are connected to the head portion, end portions in the circumferential extending direction which define predetermined slits between themselves and opposing protrusions, and exclusively lower end portions which are connected to the opposing protrusions. The outer diameter of the engagement members is larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole.
In the clip disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-105615, the leg portion includes four legs (elastic locking members) independently extending from the head portion, so no shaft portion exists at the center of the elastic locking members. When the position of the mounting hole is deviated due to dimensional deviation between components, and the leg portion has to be obliquely inserted into the mounting hole, buckling may be caused to make the insertion impossible or breakage may be caused.
In the clip disclosed in JP 3560061 B, the protrusions outwardly protruding from the center of the shaft core portion are situated between the elastic locking members, and, while the locking leg is being inserted into the mounting hole, the protrusions abut the inner periphery of the mounting hole to perform positioning on the center of the locking leg with respect to the mounting hole. However, when there is a considerable dimensional deviation between the mounting holes, and the leg portion has to be inserted into the mounting hole obliquely at a considerably large angle with respect thereto, the insertion is effected with the protrusions being scraped by the inner periphery of the mounting hole. Thus, there arises a problem in that the insertion resistance for the locking leg increases.
Further, in the clip disclosed in JP 2005-315369 A, one side of each engagement member is connected to a protrusion radially extending from the shaft portion, so there is a difference in deflection rigidity, toward the inside, between the side edge connected to the protrusion of the engagement member and the side edge spaced apart from the shaft portion. Thus, it is difficult to obtain a deflection rigidity uniform over the entire periphery, and when a large lateral external force is applied to the leg portion in the mounted state, the engagement members undergo great deformation depending upon the direction and the clip may become subject to detachment.